I like this HP's new EliteBook X laptop, but the price tag hurts

Price When Reviewed

$2,283

Best Prices Today: HP EliteBook X G1i

$2099

Following the AMD-powered HP EliteBook X G1a, HP has launched a brand new enterprise laptop computer for employees who crave a bit of sophistication and effectivity from a thin-and-light laptop. The HP EliteBook X G1i trims greater than half a pound from the G1a and opts for low-power Intel Lunar Lake {hardware}, giving it much less energy however extra portability. This mannequin remains to be dear, with all of the markups of a enterprise laptop computer and a few actually wonky pricing from HP, nevertheless it is perhaps a sensible choice if you really want the enterprise options and desire a machine that’s simply going to final all day.

HP EliteBook X G1i: Specs and options

• Model quantity: B85MSUT#ABA
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 268V
• Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x-8533
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc Graphics 140V
• Display: 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS, Anti-glare
• Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen4 SSD
• Webcam: 5MP + IR
• Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1 Alternate Mode, 1x USB-C 10Gbps with Power Delivery and DisplayPort 1.4 Alternate Mode, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x 3.5mm combo audio
• Networking: WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Windows Hello fingerprint and facial recognition
• Battery capability: 68 watt-hours
• Dimensions:12.36 x 8.66 x 0.72 inches
• Weight: 2.72 kilos measured
• MSRP: $2,283 as-tested ($2,399 base)

The HP EliteBook X G1i has a base worth of $2,399 for a configuration with an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V chip, 16GB of reminiscence, and 512GB of storage. Our take a look at unit isn’t accessible as a pre-configured system from HP, however the closest match gives the identical Intel Core Ultra 7 268V, 32GB of reminiscence, and 1TB of storage (as an alternative of our unit’s 512GB) for $2,869. CDW does have our take a look at configuration for $2,283. 

Confusingly, regardless of being model new, the HP EliteBook X G1i lineup noticed large reductions to the listed MSRP instantly, reducing anyplace from 33 p.c to 61 p.c off the costs of pre-configured fashions. This lowered the bottom mannequin to $1,599 (or a model that lengthens the guarantee and Wolf Pro Security subscription for even much less at $1,499), and the unit closest to our take a look at mannequin to $1,999.

HP additionally gives pre-configured fashions with 5G modems and customization choices with alternate shows, together with larger resolutions, 120Hz (VRR) panels, privateness safety, and non-touch choices. HP’s customized configurations include a decrease base specification than pre-configured fashions and a better beginning worth of $2,680.

HP EliteBook X G1i: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Mark Knapp

The HP EliteBook X G1i embodies cleanliness. It makes use of easy, tight curves throughout its design to make for a tidy package deal. Nothing stands out, however nothing seems overly plain. Simple, however elegant. The darkish blue coloration scheme additionally has a neat impact: when viewing the laptop computer at an angle (such as you would when utilizing it), the trackpad and keyboard mirror mild in another way than the chassis, making them seem to shift to a subtly lighter shade of blue. 

The show has pretty skinny bezels, although the highest one is on the thick facet. That area additionally homes the digital camera, which has a bodily privateness shutter. The shutter is sadly located proper the place a cutaway within the chassis guides you to open the laptop computer from. In my case, this has meant my thumb regularly touches the digital camera and shutter. Over time, all that finger grease will add up. And Windows Hello facial recognition isn’t as fast to unlock if I’ve to reactivate the digital camera each time. 

The chassis isn’t tremendous skinny, measuring 0.72 inches at its thickest level, nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly light-weight at 2.72 kilos. That’s doubtless thanks partially to the magnesium used within the casing, which has only a faint roughness to its texture. The laptop computer feels sturdy, with minimal flex within the keyboard deck or show, although the hinge does wiggle for a pair seconds after repositioning the display screen. 

The laptop computer sits on one extensive rubber foot on the again edge and two small toes on the entrance. These hold it moderately safe. When the show is open, its again edge finally ends up folding down low sufficient to the touch the desk beneath it. This doesn’t elevate the laptop computer a lot, nevertheless it does block off the exhaust. In this case, the extensive foot well prevents the new exhaust from heading proper again into the consumption followers. Instead, exhaust will head up over the hinge or out the perimeters of the channel created there. 

HP has a easy keyboard right here. It’s compact and backlit. Even with its area constraints, it will get Page Up and Page Down keys squished in with the arrow keys, and HP has included Home (on the F12 key) and devoted End, Insert, and Delete keys within the prime proper nook of the keyboard. 

On both facet of the keyboard, two grilles really home a pair of audio system, and people mix with a second pair of audio system inside slots alongside the entrance fringe of the laptop computer. It’s not solely shocking to see up-firing audio system on a laptop computer as of late but additionally a shock to see so many audio system on what’s plainly a productiveness machine.

To energy the HP EliteBook X G1i, you get a small 65W charger that weighs below half a pound. This is available in three components — AC cable, USB-C cable, and the transformer — offering some flexibility and the power to exchange components if any break.

HP EliteBook X G1i: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Mark Knapp

The keyboard feels first rate and is simple to see with its white backlighting. It doesn’t have a lot contour to the keycaps, which might make it slightly onerous to maintain centered on every key, however the stabilization is strong. The keys even have a good resistance to them, which helps considerably with tactility, although they don’t backside out with a really noticeable feeling. That could make it harder to hit the identical key a number of occasions whereas typing shortly. I discovered my accuracy shortly and constantly sank if I attempted going a lot sooner than about 110 phrases per minute. Meanwhile, I may attain 98 p.c accuracy whereas typing at 108 phrases per minute in Monkeytype. 

The trackpad is an effective dimension, not terribly extensive however moderately tall. Its glass floor is easy and feels nice to swipe round on. And it clicks with a brief journey and mild thunk when it actuates. 

HP EliteBook X G1i: Display, audio

IDG / Mark Knapp

You gained’t get probably the most splendid show from the HP EliteBook X G1i, however you’ll get a really high-utility one. It’s solely providing a 1200p decision, which is ok however not spectacular on a laptop computer as of late. It additionally doesn’t get the quick refresh fee we’re seeing regularly. What the HP EliteBook X G1i has is a respectably colourful show in a position to hit 99 p.c of the sRGB coloration area, sturdy distinction and brightness for an LCD at 1680:1 and 524.7 nits, and an exquisite anti-glare coating that makes it simple to see the show even with it set to decrease brightness ranges. The coating did a fantastic job hiding the glare even from a brightly lit window. 

The display screen gives contact performance, which might be helpful. It might need felt smoother with a sooner refresh fee, nevertheless it’s nonetheless acceptably responsive. And I benefit from the really feel of my fingers gliding throughout the display screen. The anti-glare coating additionally helps cut back seen smudges from pores and skin oils.

The HP EliteBook X G1i contains a quad-speaker setup and might pump out a great deal of quantity. Going a lot past 50 p.c quantity, the audio system can get too loud for consolation when listening at arm’s size. The audio system ship surprisingly depth, hitting bass notes you may’t at all times rely on from a laptop computer, and the sound is pretty clear. With the audio system cranked to full quantity, they’re a bit too crisp, however with out noticeable distortion.

HP EliteBook X G1i: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The webcam on the HP EliteBook X G1i is first rate, capturing sharp footage from its 5MP sensor. But it nonetheless requires good situations to look its finest. With overhead lighting, the digital camera doubtless will nonetheless wrestle some. You’ll need some vibrant mild supply (like a window) shining onto you to keep away from noise within the visuals. 

The webcam comes paired with IR emitters, giving it Windows Hello facial recognition talents. There are additionally a handful of presence-sensing choices that may dim or lock the show should you’re not trying on the display screen or sitting in entrance of the laptop computer. If you like fingerprint recognition, that’s additionally accessible with a scanner built-in into the facility button. Either technique gives fast and handy technique to sign up.

The microphone array leaves room for enchancment. It captures my voice with a good fullness, nevertheless it actually struggles with background noise. There’s lots of room echo that makes me sound additional off than I ought to, and the mics will choose up any additional noises within the room, like followers, air filters, or air conditioners. I used to be shocked on the poor efficiency right here contemplating how efficient the mics within the HP OmniBook X Flip 14 had been at cancelling out nearly any noise that wasn’t my voice.

HP EliteBook X G1i: Connectivity

IDG / Mark Knapp

HP hasn’t accomplished a ton for connectivity, nevertheless it’s accomplished sufficient. You’ll get two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the left facet and a USB-C 10Gbps port on the correct, with all three ports supporting DisplayPort output and charging, providing you with some uncommon flexibility for which facet you cost on. The left edge additionally contains HDMI 2.1 and a 3.5mm audio combo jack. The proper facet rounds all of it out with a 5Gbps USB-A port and, relying on the configuration, a SIM card slot. 

When you need to faucet into wi-fi connections, the system gives Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connections. Both have been quick to attach and reconnect in my testing, and the Wi-Fi managed strong reception and throughput. 

HP EliteBook X G1i: Performance

The HP EliteBook X G1i is predictably a modest performer. The type of low-power chips that you just’ll typically discover in thin-and-light programs like this don’t are inclined to have probably the most muscle for heavy workloads, however the Intel Core Ultra 7 268V and different chips on this lineup are inclined to have very sturdy single-core efficiency and might zip by mild duties properly whereas conserving vitality.

The 32GB of reminiscence is a welcome characteristic for multitasking, although at upwards of $2,000, I’d have been extra impressed with 64GB of reminiscence on board as HP packed into the AMD-powered $2,750 HP Elitebook X G1a. The HP EliteBook X G1i additionally has an fascinating rival in its flipping counterpart, the $2,899 HP EliteBook X Flip G1i, which gives virtually all the identical specs however in a extra versatile design. There’s additionally stiff competitors just like the $2,336 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition, which comes very equally geared up and priced. And should you don’t want all of the skilled, enterprise tech that comes with a system like this, the HP EliteBook X G1i has to face down way more reasonably priced choices just like the $1,749 Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, which additionally boasts comparable internals however a extra fashionable exterior. 

IDG / Mark Knapp

As anticipated, the HP EliteBook X G1i gives respectable although not mind-blowing total efficiency. PCMark 10 is a holistic take a look at of a laptop computer’s skill to carry out widespread workplace duties, and it takes CPU, GPU, and storage efficiency into consideration. The HP EliteBook X G1i manages the take a look at properly, although has a notable shortcoming within the App Startup portion of the take a look at. This is a shortcoming we see within the different two HP laptops as properly, however each of Lenovo’s programs excel there, suggesting HP could also be utilizing lower-tier SSDs than Lenovo — a superb reminder that capability is just one issue to contemplate in a drive. 

IDG / Mark Knapp

As we are able to see, it wasn’t uncooked CPU efficiency that helped Lenovo get forward in PCMark. Turning to Cinebench, which hits the CPU with a heavy rendering activity, we are able to see the HP EliteBook X G1i carry out very near the Lenovo programs in single- and multicore efficiency, even popping out forward in lots of circumstances, particularly for single-core runs. Still there’s a large gulf between the HP EliteBook X G1i and its AMD counterpart, exhibiting a pattern we’ve seen a lot this technology: AMD has an enormous multi-core efficiency benefit in its laptop computer CPUs.

IDG / Mark Knapp

Handbrake offers one other demonstration of CPU efficiency, as we activity the programs with a big encoding activity shrinking down a complete film. This not solely hits the CPU onerous but additionally takes sufficient time to essentially carry warmth into the equation. The HP EliteBook X G1i isn’t extremely quick, taking up 20 minutes to finish the duty (gaming laptops can typically full it in half the time), nevertheless it sustained its speeds properly and got here out forward of its flipping counterpart in addition to Lenovo’s choices, although it solely beat the Yoga 9i by one second. We can see once more that Intel’s efficiency right here lags behind AMD’s because the HP EliteBook X G1a beats all of the others by a minimum of 5 minutes.

IDG / Mark Knapp

Graphics efficiency is the place the current Intel chips regain some floor on AMD, tending to make extra of their Intel Arc graphics than AMD can with its built-in Radeon options. That’s the case right here with the HP EliteBook X G1i providing respectable efficiency in 3DMark’s Time Spy take a look at. This doesn’t make the HP EliteBook X G1i a really sturdy machine for graphics, as this efficiency nonetheless pales compared to even low-end discrete graphics just like the RTX 4050, nevertheless it additionally doesn’t include the intense energy draw that discrete graphics does.

This graphics take a look at is in line with the remainder of the outcomes, too, seeing the HP EliteBook X G1i narrowly lead the flipping mannequin and the ThinkPad although barely lagging behind the Yoga 9i. 

HP EliteBook X G1i: Battery life

The HP EliteBook X G1i has a strong mixture of things working for it with regards to battery life. The Intel chip powering it will not be tremendous quick, nevertheless it’s speedy sufficient for many on a regular basis choices and it’s very environment friendly. Then there’s the show, which doesn’t seem to take an excessive amount of energy to run. This let the HP EliteBook X G1i run for nearly 21 hours in our offline video playback take a look at, which loops a 4K video whereas the show is about between 250 and 260 nits. 

IDG / Mark Knapp

That’s an enormous benefit over the AMD model. That mannequin fell shy of 11 hours and was in line with the type of effectivity we’ve seen from different current AMD laptops. Lenovo reveals there’s nonetheless some room for enchancment although. Its ThinkPad ran for over 24 hours. But maybe extra spectacular is that the Yoga 9i, which had plenty of efficiency wins, additionally beat the HP EliteBook X G1i on longevity by operating virtually a complete 3 hours longer. 

While you may’t precisely rely on video playback to let you know how lengthy a laptop computer will work in on a regular basis use, the HP EliteBook X G1i held up properly when put to workplace duties, looking the net, researching, and writing up articles. In this use, it was frequently on tempo to final for over 12 hours. And for the reason that anti-glare show makes it simple to see the display screen even when it’s set to decrease brightness ranges, it’s very doable to preserve much more energy.

HP EliteBook X G1i: Conclusion

The HP EliteBook X G1i has potential. It’s not very highly effective, nevertheless it has the horsepower it must sort out most individuals’s workdays and slightly additional legroom for some extra demanding duties. What it lacks in uncooked efficiency it largely makes up for in effectivity, simply operating all day. Paired with an easy-on-the-eyes show which you can run even at very dim ranges and nonetheless see clearly, and also you’ve acquired a machine that’s correctly ready for productiveness. But the value stands in its means. Unless you really want HP’s enterprise options like Wolf Pro Security, the additional price simply isn’t price it, particularly with shopper laptops just like the Yoga 9i beating it in virtually each means.